Amy Schectman
Amy Schectman
Amy is that rare leader who uses both sides of her brain to the fullest, combining an analytical approach to problem-solving with a creative spark that leads to breakthrough solutions. Undergirding it all is her deep commitment to social justice—a commitment that has guided Amy through decades of work in the public and nonprofit sectors to advance affordable housing, economic development, and equity. In more than a decade leading 2Life Communities, Amy has worked to create a vibrant strategic plan, created a quasi-endowment to support agency innovation, built and nurtured an effective team at all levels of the organization, and launched an aggressive expansion campaign to fill the gaps in the senior housing affordability marketplace.
A recognized thought leader on aging in community, Amy serves on the boards of Massachusetts Housing Investment Corporation and The Community Builders and participated on the Governor’s Council to Address Aging in Massachusetts. She served as president of Citizens Housing and Planning Association, the statewide umbrella organization for affordable housing professionals. She is called upon regularly to speak at national and international conferences as a leader in the senior living space and has been invited to The White House four times. She frequently hosts members of Congress, the Massachusetts State Legislature, and local Municipal governments to 2Life campuses to illustrate the power of our aging in community model and inform public policies. In 2022, Amy was selected as a McKnight's Women of Distinction Hall of Honor and in 2021 Amy was awarded the Outstanding Impact Award from the Citizens Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA) for her "unparalleled commitment to ensuring healthy, affordable housing as a foundation for people to thrive at every stage of life."
Early in her career, Amy served as Governor Michael Dukakis’ director of capital budget and planning, and planning director at Boston Housing Authority. She was the Town of Brookline’s first economic development director and Massachusetts Director of Public Housing/rental assistance. Amy has a B.A. in political science from Johns Hopkins University, and a Master in City Planning from MIT.
We at 2Life Communities advance an agenda that not only provides essential affordable housing, it also recognizes the role our elders can play in building a just and good society. The Torah teaches us that the most important commandment is to honor thy mother and father. We consider that a collective enterprise, and to have our work make that true is sublime.